After a break from the sport, 140lbs contender Brandun Lee is recharged and ready to make moves with new promoters Queensberry. Shortly before Lee improved to 29-0, Boxing News’ Declan Taylor caught up with the confident Californian to see where he’s at.
SIGNING Brandun Lee was probably not on Frank Warren’s to-do list for 2024 but when the opportunity to sign a 28-0 world level contender presented itself, the Hall of Fame promoter did not hang around.
Now Lee, still only 25, will make his UK and Queensberry Promotions debut on Saturday night on the undercard of Joe Joyce’s heavyweight clash with Dereck Chisora at the o2 Arena* as he begins the next chapter in his career.
The Californian had surged to 28-0 (23) in the first six years of his career but Saturday night will represent his first outing in 15 months after a lengthy break which Lee insists has been a blessing and not a curse.
“Everyone needs a break,” he tells Boxing News. “We’re not robots.
“We all need a break from time to time but I’ve had mine now and I’m ready to go. It’s now all gas, no brake.
“April of last year was my last fight. But I really didn’t mind this long break because I felt like I needed to give my body a rest. I started boxing at the age of six and I had never taken longer than a week off. My body was always just going, going, going. But this allowed me to have a reset.”
There was a time when Lee was heralded as the future at 140lbs, was regularly showcased on TV slots and looked every inch a future world champion as he swept aside his overmatched opponents in the early stage of his career.
But he nearly came unstuck against the 17-1-3 Will Madera in August 2022, when he was dropped heavily in round three and did well to hang on at all. He showed his mettle, however, by regrouping and eventually winning a wide unanimous decision. He has boxed twice more since then, most recently a 10-round decision win against Pedro Campa in April 2023, but it is not unfair to say the early hype has quietened, if not totally died. Not that Lee is concerned. Instead, his lack of activity opened the door for his much-needed ‘reset’.
“I went on vacation, I went to Japan, Thailand and Mexico,” he adds. “Really it just allowed me to travel the world a little bit and just give me a refresh from boxing.
“Thailand was beautiful, the food was amazing. Japan was beautiful too and the food is perfect. My girlfriend and I went to Tokyo. It was very clean, the people are extremely nice and extremely courteous. It just felt like their society is very well put together. In fact, I loved it so much I’m actually going back on Monday.
“But even when I wasn’t fighting, I was still training three or four days a week. It was nothing heavy but just giving my body what it needs. It felt refreshing.”
Lee had been advised by Al Haymon and was a regular on PBC shows but with Showtime pulling the plug on their boxing programming, he was one of the many fighters struggling for regular exposure. That opened the door for Warren and Queensberry, although they did not enjoy a clear run at their new signing.
“They showed a lot of interest in me. A lot of promoters had showed an interest, they all wanted me, but I just feel like I have gained a very popular fan base in the States so the time is right to come over to the UK and grow a new fan base. We all know that UK fans are diehard boxing fans so I’m looking forward to starting a new journey.
“It was not a surprise to me at all. I feel like we made the right decision to sign with Frank.”
In a world where GEA chairman Turki Alalshikh, who has worked closely with Warren since his entry to the sport, is plotting boxing superleagues for a number of weight classes, it makes perfect sense for Queensberry to snap up somebody like Lee. Along with the 1-0 prospect Nathan ‘Brickbuster’ Lee, he is one of only two Americans in the stable but more signings from the States are now expected.
What the new alliance has meant is only the second trip to the UK for Lee, and his very first on business, which has brought with it its own problems.
“We’ve already got lost on the Tube,” he laughs. “On Sunday we were trying to get to some restaurant and we ended up staying on the train for too long and ended up somewhere else. In the end we had to just give up and get a taxi.
“The slang is new for me, too. Like if I asked ‘excuse me where’s the restroom?’ and they look at me funny so I say ‘the bathroom’ and they still look at me funny and say ‘oh you mean the toilet’.
“But really I love it over here. People are very polite and very generous. You know, taking a train or taking a tube, for me was all new. There’s nothing like that in California.
“In terms of boxing, I’m not sure if the plan is for me to always box here or elsewhere. That’s all up to my team. Wherever they feel I can become the main attraction is where I will box.”
In Lee’s absence, the 140lb division has completely moved on. There are currently four different champions and after Liam Paro stunned Subriel Matias in Puerto Rico, none of them will be feeling too comfortable. The lack of any obvious No.1 in the division also means, in theory at least, more opportunities for contenders like Lee.
“The division is wide open,” he agrees. “I just look at the other names in the division as like a piece of meat in front of me. There are four different champions right now, it’s a stacked division but I don’t look at it in any particular way. I just see who is front of me and know I have to beat them.
“Right now, I would say Teofimo Lopez is the No.1. We haven’t really crossed paths but I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a very straight up guy who respects others. When he does talk I feel like he has every right.
“Then you’ve got Devin Haney, who got his ass beat down by Ryan Garcia. I feel like they should have left the result as it was and then, if anything, just fine Ryan. But it is what it is.
Ryan Garcia punches Devin Haney (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
“None of that though is important to me. I’m just focusing on myself and getting myself into that position. In the next 12-18 months the goal is to become world champion, then move to 147 and become world champion there too.
“How long I stay at 140lbs is the million dollar question. I’ve been at 140lbs for a while now so when I move up is the big question. Making weight sucks, nobody wants to make the weight but it’s part of boxing.
“But regardless of when I move up, becoming a two-weight world champion is the goal. I have business here at 140lbs first.”
The new road towards world honours begins in the unfamiliar setting of Greenwich, London against 20-year-old Colombian Juan Anacona, who is 11-0 but has only boxed two people with a winning record. Lee should win and win well.
“On Monday I’m flying out to Bangkok to spend a few days there then after that I’m going to Japan,” he says.
“I’m looking forward to it, but most importantly I want to put on a show on Saturday night.”
The reset is over.
* Boxing on the undercard of Joe Joyce’s heavyweight slugfest with Derek Chisora, Brandun Lee improved his record to 29-0 with a 78-74 win over 11-0 Juan Anacona in Greenwich.